ISO How to tenderize cooked flank steak

[Paintbrush]

I tried a new marinade recipe for grilled flank steak...love the flavor, but, the flank steak is extremely tough. I did marinate it overnight, and the recipe does have some red wine vinegar in it...I also scored the meat, but, it is just like chewing shoe leather...Does anyone have any suggestions for tenderizing the remaining pieces of cooked meat?

[Momoftwo]

Paintbrush, did you cut the meat thin against the grain? I don't use Flank Steak any longer as I thought it to be on the tough side. I now use Top Round Steak that is cut 1 1/2 - 2" thick when I want to marinate and grill.

Momoftwo :p

[charley]

It is a tough cut of meat and many times ridiculously expensive, considering what you have to do to make it palatable. If you scored, marinated, and sliced it thinly across the grain, chances are it's just not for you.

[Tutalady]

I'm seeing two different cuts of meat here that some people seem to use interchangeably-we have always liked flank steak (back before the cost went sky high because it is low in fat)and I used to score it and marinate it in soy sauce, some terriyaki sauce, and Italian dressing-was great. Then there is London Broil which looks like a nice piece of meat but tough-anyone know how to tenderize it??

[peri_winkle99]

I don't find flank to be tough at all...I marinate it for about 30 min in all different kinds of marinades, grill to about medium rare to medium, and slice against the grain. We love flank at our house - it's a treat.

[peri_winkle99]

Tutalady, I do a London broil marinade I got from Martha that is outta this world. Simply marinate it in a really good bloody mary mix, add extra worcestershire, some hot sauce, garlic powder - make it really spicey cause after it cooks, it's hardly spicey at all. I marinate all day or 24 hrs, then grill and slice thin - sometimes we eat it on rolls w/ horseradish mayo, sometimes just alone w/ horseradish. It's yummy!!

[charley]

I'm seeing two different cuts of meat here that some people seem to use interchangeably-we have always liked flank steak (back before the cost went sky high because it is low in fat)and I used to score it and marinate it in soy sauce, some terriyaki sauce, and Italian dressing-was great. Then there is London Broil which looks like a nice piece of meat but tough-anyone know how to tenderize it??

Top round is sometimes called London broil (which is a method of cooking, not a cut of meat) and it ideally should be broiled, braised, or cooked in a liquid because it is tougher.

Paintbrush, another thought ... if you overcooked the flank steak that would've made it tough.

[Paintbrush]

No, I didn't overcook the flank steak, and I did cut it thinly against the grain, it was just extremely tough. I've been grilling them for over 30 years, and just never had such a tough one....maybe it was an old cow????????

Thanks for all your responses..guess I won't buy flank steaks for awhile.

[dizzylizzy]

I make flank steak with a red wine marinade, too. I think you just got a tough cow!